In the construction of pocket forming elements which are fastened inside library books to hold a 3.times.5 card, and to indicate the due date for the library book, etc., typically it is necessary to purchase an envelope and a separate information card. The separate information card is preprinted and stapled or otherwise affixed to the open top envelope. This requires purchase of different components, assembly time, and is not conveniently practiced using on site conventional printers, such as laser printers.
Two prior art constructions that provide library card holders that are simple, and constructed in a simple manner, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,318,324 and 5,427,640 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein). However the library card holder formed pursuant to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,324 requires one to apply additional adhesive, or other conventional means, to hold the library card holder to the book (that is the book attachment mechanism is not inherently provided with the holder), and the U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,640 either requires spot coating of adhesive or there is a chance that insertion of the library card into the holder could expose adhesive that would stick to the library card, and if conventional size sheets (such as 81/2.times.11 or A-4) are used then additional labels or other elements must be formed otherwise there is significant waste.
According to the present invention an intermediate for making a card holder, a card holder, and a method of making a card holder, are provided which are simple and effective, allow card holders to be made from conventional sized sheets, and provide attachment adhesive or cohesive for applying the card holder to a book, or other objects with which it would be associated, integrally with the card holder. All of the advantageous features of the library card holders according to the prior art are provided, as well as additional advantages.
While the invention will be herein shown and described with respect to a library card holder, it is to be understood that the products and techniques thereof may also be applicable to other card holders, such as for medical records, time sheets, and the like.
According to one aspect of the present invention an intermediate for a card holder is provided comprising: A first (preferably paper but possibly plastic) ply, a second release liner ply, and pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive releasably holding the plies together. The plies each having substantially coextensive top and bottom edges substantially parallel to each other, and substantially coextensive first and second side edges substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom edges. The first ply having a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face including the pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive. The first and second side edges of the first ply including first and second die cut strips, respectively, provided therein in a center section of the side edges, so that an upper section above the die cut strips, and a lower section below the die cut strips, are provided. And, first and second lines of weakness provided in the first ply lower section substantially parallel to the side edges and spaced therefrom, and defining side flaps.
The intermediate typically further comprises indicia imaged on the top face of at least one of the upper section and lower section. The top and bottom edges may be about 4.52 inches or about 10.5 cm long, and the side edges are each about 11 inches or about 29.6 cm long, which facilitates manufacture of the intermediate from a sheet of 81/2.times.11 inch paper, or an A-4 sheet. For example according to the invention the intermediate may be part of an 81/2.times.11 inch or A-4 sheet, and a second intermediate substantially identical to the intermediate is provided adjacent thereto in the 81/2.times.11 inch or A-4 sheet.
Preferably the lower section has a length along each of the side edges about half the length of each of the die cut strips, and the liner ply has a die cut therein substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges, and approximately equidistant between the top and bottom sections. Also preferably the liner ply has third and fourth, respectively, die cut strips formed therein at the first and second side edges of the liner ply, each of the third and fourth die cut strips being wider than the first and second die cut strips, and extending from a point closer to the top edge than each of the first and second die cut strips substantially all the way to the bottom edge.
Typically the paper ply comprises from 16 pound-125 pound (preferably about 60-100 pound) tag stock (the designation "pound" meaning pounds per 11.times.17 inch 1000 sheet ream), or it can be a plastic web (possibly non-printable, but preferably printable), e.g. polyester about 1-7 mil thick. The exact weight will depend upon usage, but for most paper library card holders the paper would have a weight between about 60-100 pounds. The liner ply preferably is entirely conventional silicone release liner. The adhesive or cohesive may be removable or permanent, and of any suitable conventional type. Typical thickness of the adhesive is from 0.3-1.5 mil, with a normal thickness being between about 0.6-0.9 mil.
The indicia imaged on the top face of at least one of the upper section and the lower section preferably comprises library card holder indicia, and the entire intermediate is dimensioned so as to be useful for the manufacture of a library card holder, and attachment to a book (e.g. the inside cover). The indicia is preferably laser toner from a laser printer, although handwriting, typing, or non-impact or impact printers aside from laser printers, may be used to apply the imaged indicia.
According to another aspect of the present invention a card holder is provided comprising: An upper section having a top edge with a first width, and a bottom demarcation substantially parallel to the top edge, a top face, and a bottom face. A lower section having top and bottom substantially parallel edges each having a second width, a top face and a bottom face, and first and second side flaps defined along side edges thereof. First and second intermediate sections aligned with the lower section, the first intermediate section being a substantial continuation of the upper section, each of the intermediate sections having a front face and a rear face. Pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive provided on at least part of the bottom faces of both the upper and lower sections including on the lower section side flaps bottom face, and on at least a part of the rear face of at least the first intermediate section, so that pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive on the lower section side flaps bottom face holds the lower section and the intermediate sections together, and so that the front faces of the intermediate sections define a non-adhesive open space therebetween. And, wherein the upper, lower, and intermediate sections are substantially a continuous piece of paper or plastic.
The card holder typically further comprises indicia imaged on the top face of at least one of the upper and lower sections, and wherein the top edge of the lower section is substantially aligned with the lower demarcatiof the upper section. In the preferred embodiment the indicia comprises library card holder indicia, and the open space is dimensioned to receive, and does receive, a bottom portion of a library card therein, and wherein the upper section and first intermediate section pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive is attached to a library book.
Typically the first width and the second width, including the side flaps, are substantially equal, and the first and second intermediate sections each have substantially a third width, the third width substantially equal to the second width minus the widths of the side flaps. In the preferred embodiment the pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive substantially completely covers the bottom faces of the upper and lower sections, and the rear faces of both of the intermediate sections. The card holder may further comprise laser toner indicia imaged on the top face of both of the upper and lower sections, and the paper of the card holder preferably comprises between about 60-100 pound tag stock.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a card holder utilizing a multi-ply sheet having a first (preferably paper) ply, a second release liner ply, and pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive releasably holding the plies together, the plies each having substantially coextensive top and bottom edges substantially parallel to each other, and substantially coextensive first and second side edges substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom edges, and the first ply having a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face including the pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive. The method preferably comprises: (a) Forming first and second die cut strips, respectively, provided in a center section of the first and second side edges of the first ply, so that an upper section above the die cut strips and a lower section below the die cut strips, are provided. (b) Forming first and second lines of weakness in the first ply lower section substantially parallel to the side edges and spaced therefrom, the lines of weakness forming side flaps along the side edges of the lower section. (c) Forming die cuts in the liner ply, that do not significantly extend into the first ply, to define a first liner ply section that covers at least the upper section of the first ply, and a second liner ply section that covers at least the lower section of the first ply. Then, (d) removing the second liner ply section from the paper ply, and removing the first and second die cut strips from the first ply. Then, (e) folding the lower section with respect to the upper section to provide two intermediate sections of the first ply underlying the lower section and to provide a top edge of the lower section substantially aligned with a bottom line of demarcation of the upper section. Then, (f) folding the side flaps of the lower section so as to wrap around the intermediate sections and so that the pressure sensitive adhesive or cohesive on the bottom face of the side flaps adheres the lower section to the intermediate sections, and to define an open card-receiving volume between the intermediate sections to form a card holder. (g) Removing the first liner ply section from the first ply. And then, (h) moving the adhesive or cohesive uncovered by (g) into contact with a surface to attach to the surface.
The method typically further comprises (i), prior to (d), imaging at least one of the top faces of the upper and lower sections with indicia by passing the sheet through an automatic imaging device. For example (i) may be practiced by passing the sheet through a non-impact printer, such as a laser printer. Typically (i) is practiced to image library card holder indicia, and (h) is practiced to move the card holder into contact with a surface of a library book, and the method further comprises inserting a library card into the open card-receiving volume between the intermediate sections.
In the method (c) may be is practiced to provide side die cut strips approximately twice as wide as the side flaps of the lower section, and to provide as the first liner ply section a liner ply section that covers the first ply upper section and the intermediate section immediately adjacent the first ply upper section.
Typically the multi-ply sheet is originally dimensioned to provide two substantially identical card holders side-by-side, with the first side edge of one integral with the second side edge of the other; and the method further comprises: practicing (a)-(c) for both card holders at substantially the same time; and (i), before (d), slitting the sheet to form the first side edge of one card holder and the second side edge of the other card holder, so as to form two distinct card holders. Most desirably, (a)-(i) are practiced starting with an 8.5.times.11 inch, or A-4, paper sheet, and wherein each card holder, before (d), has a width of about 4.25 inches or about 10.5 cm and a length of about 11 inches or about 29.6 cm.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective, simple and highly advantageous manufacture of card holders, or intermediates for card holders, such as for library card holders. This and many other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims .